Clearwater, CIA team up for benefit dinner supporting sustainability

At the Menus of Change Summit at The Culinary Institute of America, one panel discussed the problems and potential solutions for feeding a growing global population.
Alex H. Wagner/Poughkeepsie Journal

Chefs for Clearwater will provide guests with a six-course dinner, live music and auctions from 4 to 8 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Culinary Institute's Hyde Park campus. And the event also aims to promote sustainability, with funds going toward Clearwater’s environmental education and advocacy programs.

"The health of the Hudson River is critical to the region’s agriculture and food future," CIA President Tim Ryan said in a statement. "Both the CIA and Clearwater are committed to maintaining sustainable resources and being socially responsible stewards of the environment. Through Chefs for Clearwater, our organizations can, together, help spread that message."

The event is targeted toward farmers, restaurateurs and brewers within the Hudson Valley, Niemisto said.

"We wanted to give the people who benefit most from the Hudson River the opportunity to show public support for the environment here," she said.

The six-course dinner will feature a farm-to-table menu crafted by chefs from around the Hudson Valley, including:

Sara Lukasiewicz of The Amsterdam in Rhinebeck

John McCarthy of The Crimson Sparrow in Hudson

Jay Lippin of Crabtree’s Kittle House in Chappaqua

Michael Kaphan of Purdy’s Farmer & The Fish in North Salem and Tarrytown

Waldy Malouf of The Bocuse Restaurant at The CIA

Kristina DePalma of The Roundhouse by Terrance Brennan in Beacon

"Guests will enjoy a six-course tasting menu featuring the best chefs, ingredients and beverages from the Hudson Valley," said Terrance Brennan, chef at The Roundhouse in Beacon, in a statement.

The fundraiser will also feature live music by bluegrass band Two Dollar Goat, according to the statement. Singer-songwriter Tom Chapin will serve as the master of ceremonies, and Peter Kaminsky, author of "Pig Perfect," will be the guest speaker.